Skin, hide, and leather working machine



NOV. 22, 1938. v F WAYLAND l 2,137Q866 SKIN, HIDE, AND LEATHER WORKING MACHINE f Filed Oct. 20, 1936 Patented Nov. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE SKIN, HIDE, AND LEATHER `WORKIN G MACHINE Frank Wayland, Salem, Mass.

Application October 26, 1936, Serial No. 106,505

2 Claims.

This `invention relates to skin, hide and leather workingrnachines of that class shown and described in my Patents Nos. 1,077,207, 1,090,895, 1,204,914, and 1,355,437, 'and it has for its object to improve the construction and operation thereof.

The present invention has particular reference to tensioning and stretching devices for acting upon the skin, hide or leather as it is drawn` toward and between the overlapping or intermeshing helical blades of a pair of rotating work rolls by which it is flexed, scraped and stretched transversely while said rolls co-act with the usual feed and ironing rolls to stretch the same in a direction parallel with the direction of its movement.

, In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the `preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figurel is an end View, partly in section, of a skin, hide and leather working machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation, viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, of one of the swinging belt-carrying frames hereinafter referred to.

Figure 3 is a more or less diagrammatic plan view of the transverse or sidewise stretching and tensioning belts.

It will be understood that the drawing illustrates only one example of many forms in which the invention `may be embodied.

.Thefmain frame of the machine comprises a base I on which are fixed spaced-apart upright side sections 2, 2 between which are arranged a pair of work rolls3 and 4, a pair of feed rolls 5 andiand four belts l, ii, 9 vand Ill arranged in opposed pairs as shown in Fig. 3. The rear work roll 3 and lrear feed roll are carried by shafts Hand i lzfrespectively, journaled in bearings on `the `mainJfrarnavfhile `the front belts 8 and Iii, together Withyfront work roll 4 and front feed roll VE, are carried by shafts which are journaled on asupplementalframe comprising two swinging` arms I3 of there is one at each end cf the mainframe pivotally supported by a shaft I!! `that is journaled in bearings on said main frame.

The two rear belts 7 and 9 are carried by shafts journaled on another frame comprising .two swinging arms `l5 .of which there is one at each end of the main frame pivotally supported between thetwoend sections 2 by ashaft I5 journaled inbearings on the main frame. The shaft it isidriven by a sleeve d! connected therewith bymeans ofa sprocket chain I5 and sprocket :wheels i9 and 129, Figs. land 2. The shaft I6 v drives ,thezshaftrllt through a pair of spur gears 2l.

(Cl. 14S- 16) Each belt 'I and y9 is directly engaged and sup-. ported by two pairs of sprocket wheels 22 and 23 xed, respectively, on two vertical shafts 24 and 25. At its lower end each shaft `24 is connected by a pair of mitre gears 26 with the shaft I6. The shafts 24 and 25 are journalcd in bearings provided on the pivotally supported frame I5.

Each belt 8 and I0 is directly engaged and supported by two pairs of sprocket wheels Elend 2B respectively, on two shafts 29and 3D.' All of the shafts 23 and 35i are iournaled in bearings on the pivoted framewhich includes the swinging arms I3 and each of said shafts is connected at its lower end b y a` pair of mitre gears 3| with the shaft I4.

Shaft I7 acts through a crank arm 32 and connecting rod 33 to vibrate the pivoted frame including the swinging arms I3. When the pivoted arms I3 are swung rearwardly the feed roll 6,

Work roll 4 and belts 8 and I0 are caused to d occupy their operative positions and when said swinging arms I3 are moved forwardly in the opposite direction said rolls and belts are retracted for insertion, removal or adjustment of the skin, hide or leather 34.

Each work roll 3 and 4 is provided with a number of right and left hand helical blades or Vanes diverging from near the middle of the roll as illustrated and described in my Patent No. 1,204,914, the helices of one roll overlapping and 1 intermeshing with the helices of the other roll when the two rolis are in working position relatively.

The belts 'I .and 9 are paired, respectively, with the belts 8 and I0 to opposingly press against the opposite sideslof the skin, hide or leather34 passing towardthe work rolls 3 and d thereby frictionally retarding the movement of the skin, hide or leather in that direction under the influence of the feed rolls 5 and 6 and thus placing the portion of the skin or the like that is between the feed rolls and the belts under tension while it is being acted upon by the co-acting and overlapping helices of the work roll 5. At the same time the bladed work rolls themselves are rotated through the usual means in the directions indicated by the arrows thereon and serve to flex, scrape and tension the skin or the like as it is drawn up by the feed rolls 5 and 6. The flexing or pinch of the skin between the blades of the Work rolls serves to hex and stretch the skin or the like and render it soft and pliable and, in the case of a wet skin or hide, to remove water therefrom.

The tensioning and stretching belts 7, `8, `9

and I0, driven in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. are disposed at the side of the work rolls opposite to the feed rolls and serve not only to hold the skin or the like taut and under tension between said belts and the feed rolls 5 and 6 but they also serve to stretch the skin or the like transversely in opposite directions from its middle and flatten it out as it moves toward the work rolls 3 and 4.

The belts 'I and 8, respectively, are paired with and opposed to belts 9 and I0 to effect this transverse stretching and flattening action while, as

pointed out above, the belts I and 9, respectively, are paired with and opposed to the belts 8 and I0 to forcibly grip the skin or the like upon opposite sides thereof.

When the swinging arms I3 are moved into their closed positions the rolls and belts carried thereby will be brought into their operative positions shown in Fig. 1. The feed rolls, rotating in the directions shown by the arrows, draw the skin upward between the work rolls, which are rotating in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrows, while the upward movement of the skin or the like is yieldingly resisted and opposed by the belts which simultaneously serve to stretch it transversely in opposite directions from its middle. Thus the skin is worked out and stretched both laterally and longitudinally not only by the work rolls 3 and 4 but also by the belts, the latter engaging opposite sides of the skin and exerting tension and stretching action on the skin passing to the work rolls-a function highly important and essential to the best effect of the helical varies in their action on ,the skin, in a machine of this kind where there is no table or bed roll against which the vanes act, but where said vanes act in opposition to one another at opposite sides of the skin or the like while it is stretched tight between the upwardly pulling feed rolls and the belts.

Mechanism may be provided if desired to cause the shaft I'I to make a half revolution and stop, repeating the action at intervals as described in my Patent No. 1,077,207, the rotation of the rolls and the movements of the belts contlnuing while the arms I3 dwell in their closed or operative positions.

The swinging frame I5 is supported against the pressure of the front belts by a series of springs 36 while movement of said swinging frame toward the front of the machine is limited by the engagement of stops 3'I with a crossbar 38 of the main frame, said stops being carried by links 33 extending loosely through the crossbar 38 and having their forward ends pivotally or loosely connected with the swinging frame I5 as heretofore.

The straight fiat stretches of the belts which engage the skin or the like are backed up and supported by shoes 40, Figs. 1 and 2, carried by the frames I3 and I5.

From the above description it will be clear that my present invention is characterized by the provision of opposed flat surfaces, or approximately flat surfaces, engaging opposite sides of the skin or the like upon the approach side of the work rolls 3 and 4 to tension the skin or'the like longitudinally and which are at the same time moved transversely in opposite directions from the middle of the skin or the like to stretch the latter transversely.

In the illustrated embodiment the ch-ain I8 is driven by the sprocket I9 carried by the sleeve 4I loosely mounted on the shaft II and continuously driven in any suitable manner, while the shaft I 'I is intermittently driven through the usual means. In some machines I drive the sprocket 2l from the shaft I2 of the feed roll 5. However, any suitable drive for shaft I6 may be provided.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for working leather and the like, in combination, a main frame; a supplemental fr-ame pivotally supported by said main frame; a work roll rotatably supported by said supplemental frame and provided exteriorly with right and left hand spiral blades extending longitudinally thereof; a complemental work roll journaled on said main frame and provided exteriorly with longitudinal right and left hand spiral blades adapted to overlap and intermesh with the blades of said first-mentioned work roll; a feed roll rotatably mounted upon said pivoted supplemental frame above said work rolls; a complemental feed roll rotatably supported by said main frame above said work rolls and cooperating with said rst-mentioned feed roll to pull the leather or the like upwardly between said work rolls while the latter are rotated in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the leather or the like so as to stretch and soften the latter, and two mechanisms disposed below said work rolls for simultaneously engaging the opposite sides of the leather or the like flatwise thereby to yieldingly oppose the movement thereof upwardly past and between said work rolls under the influence of said feed rolls so that the Teather or the like is tautly stretched longitudinally, each of said mechanisms consisting of a pair of transversely alined endless bolts and one of said mechanisms being mounted 'on one of said frames and the other mechanism being mounted on the other frame, and means continuously operating the belts of said two mechanisms while they are in opposed engagement with the opposite sides of the leather or the like thereby to cause both of said mechanisms to traverse and stretch the leather or the like transversely in opposite directions from its middle portion while it is gripped and maintained flat by said mechanisms and while it is being pulled upwardly between the work rolls by said feed rolls.

2. In a machine for working leather and the like, in combination, a main frame; a supplemental frame pivotally supported by said main frame; a work roll rotatably supported by said supplemental frame and provided exteriorly with blades extending longitudinally thereof; a complemental work roll journaled on said main frame and provided exteriorly with longitudinal blades adapted to overlap and intermesh with the blades of said first-mentioned work roll; a feed roll rotatably mounted upon said pivoted supplemental frame above said work rolls; a complemental feed roll rotatably supported by said main frame above said work rolls and co-operating with said first-mentioned feed roll to pull the leather or the like upwardly between said work rolls while the latter are rotated in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the leather or the like so as to stretch and soften the latter, and two pairs of endless belts disposed below said work rolls for engaging the opposite sides of the leather or the like flatwise thereby to yieldingly oppose movement thereof upwardly past and between said work rolls under the influence of said feed rolls so that the leather or the like is tautly stretched longitudinally, one of said pairs of belts being mounted on said supplemental frame with its two belts transversely -alined and the other pair of belts being mounted on said main frame with its two belts also trans- Versely alined, and means continuously operating said two pairs of belts while they are in opposed flatwise engagement with the opposite sides of the leather or the like thereby to clause said belts to traverse and stretch the leather or the like transversely in aligned opposite directions from its middle portion while it is gripped by said mechanisms and While it is being pulled upwardly between the Work rolls by said feed rolls.

FRANK WAYLAND. 

